Truth be told, I can’t bear to think—nevermind hear—the words “ho ho ho” while it’s still this “hot hot hot.” That is, unless it’s a little Kit Kat Santa saying it. No I’m not picturing a little risqué Santa singing “Don’t Tell Mama,” alongside Gayle Rankin; I mean a Santa made of actual Kit Kat. According to Instagram candy news collector @candyhunting, a new Santa-shaped Kit Kat is expected to launch for the first time in the U.S. this holiday season. The treat features Kit Kat’s signature milk chocolate, encasing and layered in between crispy wafer pieces, all in the shape of a cartoon Santa Claus. Even I have to admit this is cute enough to put me in the holiday spirit while I sweat through my third shirt of the day.
Kit Kat Santa? I feel like I’ve heard of that before…
If you’re underwhelmed by Kit Kat Santa, chances are it’s because you’ve heard of it before—or even had one already. While these festive chocolate bars are new to the States, the first Santa-shaped Kit Kats actually appeared in the UK in 2020. They eventually made their way East and hit stores in Japan in 2023. Even if you don’t live in Japan or the UK, it’s easy enough to get your hands on a Santa Kit Kat Amazon, however it seems as though this holiday season the U.S. has finally been gifted Kit Kat Santas on our own turf. It’s a Christmas miracle!
Why didn’t WE get Kik Kat Santa in 2023?
We get it. It seems like other countries ALWAYS get the good Kit Kat flavors.
But before anyone starts petitioning the UN regarding this international candy conflict, know that the late introduction of Santa Kit Kats to the U.S. is less a result of an international divide and more likely a result of corporate division.
It’s not the U.S. vs. the World; It’s Nestlé vs. Hershey’s.
According to the candy historians at CNN, Kit Kat was launched in 1935 by Rowntree, a UK candy company, and was originally known as “Rowntree Chocolate Crisp” until it was renamed “Kit Kat Chocolate Crisp” in 1937. In 1970, Hershey’s made a deal with Rowntree and took control of U.S. manufacturing and distribution of Kit Kats. Rowntree was bought by Nestlé in 1988, giving the company power over distribution of the chocolate everywhere except the United States, where Hershey’s retained jurisdiction. And that about brings us up to speed. Currently, we have Hershey’s Kit Kats in the United States and Nestlé Kit Kats across the globe.
Because they’re manufactured and distributed by different companies, you may notice that the Santa Kit Kats coming to the U.S. don’t quite resemble the Santa Kit Kats that were released in the U.K. They’re a little more angular than their predecessors across the pond. Will they taste the same? There’s only one way to find out. And that just means twice the Santa-shaped chocolate this winter—ho, ho, ho, indeed.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!